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Summer and hot weather are here.   What are you doing to be sure you are staying hydrated?   Everyday Health recommends Simple Ways to Stay Hydrated This Summer .   The Henry Ford Health System also offers tips on How to Stay Hydrated .   Since hot weather is here, it is time to think about easy ways you can keep your body hydrated in the heat.   If you have kids, think of how you can ensure they keep hydrated as kids may need a reminder to drink water or other fluids in the hot weather.   Water – a great way to stay hydrated is to ensure you bring water with you.   Carry a water bottle in your car.   Have a water bottle at your desk and refill it often.   Fill a glass with ice water and add a slice of lemon.   Water is a great choice for hydration but you can also hydrate with juice, milk, coffee, tea, fruit juice. Feeling thirsty, frazzled?   Thirst is the first sign your body is becoming dehydrated, so quench that thirst. ...

Kids can be quite the helpers in the kitchen.   And, if they help with the cooking, they are more likely to eat the food served.   So how can you get kids interested in cooking?    Not just for girls but guys also like to cook.   In fact, a well-known blog is written by a mom with 3 sons who are always coming up with new kitchen “crafts” that are edible.   Many other websites have fun suggestions for kids.   Let’s look at some. Kitchen Fun with my 3 sons This mom posts hundreds of ways she involved her sons in creating fun food “crafts”.   She has ideas for holidays, for parties, for kids crafts and many pictures and recipes.   As most parents find out, kids can be picky eaters.   She started “ creating cute characters/animals out of food ” to get her sons to try new foods.   She has even written a book, Wild Eats & Adorable Treats with meals and snack ideas for kids. Here are some of her and her sons’ creations: Snacks Mini De...

Look for calories to be printed on menus by May 5, 2017.   Good thing as this past week we ate at Olive Garden and wanted a lighter meal.   We asked the waiter if they had a light menu with calories noted.   He didn’t know.   We asked if the calories were posted on the menu and he said no, but he could go to the kitchen and look up the calories.   Luckily, we noticed the Olive Garden menu has Tastes of the Mediterranean with menu items under 600 calories.   Looking for calories on restaurant menus will become a lot easier on May 5, 2017 when restaurants that have over 20 locations will be required to post calories on their menus.     What establishments will be posting calories? Restaurants with more than 20 locations nationwide Convenience stores must show calories of prepared food items such as muffins and donuts Movie theaters – ever wonder how many calories in the tub of popcorn?   It will now be posted. Supermarkets – will post calorie...

So many people focus on cutting back on carbs but not as many focus on cutting back on fat in their diets.   Some fats are truly the bad fats, the worst kinds of fat for your health.   These are trans fats.   Trans fats are so bad for your health that during 2007-2011, eleven counties in New York actually banned trans fats.   Restaurants, bakeries and concessions like park concessions could no longer sell foods containing trans fats.   This became a perfect experiment on trans fats and health as some counties in New York allowed trans fat in food sold in public places and other counties did not.   Granted, in every county in New York you could still go to the grocery store and buy foods containing trans fats, but not in restaurants and other public establishments that sold food.   So, what did the researchers find?   Heart disease – in counties that banned trans fats, heart disease declined even more than in counties that did not ban the tran...

Who doesn’t want to stop father time?   We can’t turn back the clock, but we can establish some habits that will keep us healthier as we age.   WebMD has some good advice in their article, The Secret to Healthy Aging .   They acknowledge there is no fountain of youth but establishing some healthy habits can make your life more enjoyable and extend your life span.   What tips do they offer?      1. Keep Moving – keep exercising and stay physically active.   So many health benefits to exercise:   reducing heart disease risks, you sleep better, have a better memory, less depressed, stronger bones and you are less likely to fall when you are older.          2. What kind of exercise? Aerobic or Cardio is a good way to strengthen your heart and to get fit.    But one doesn’t have to go to the gym to get some aerobic exercise.   Walk at a faster pace, go for a bike ride or ride a stationary bik...

Adding some citrus to your day can have great health benefits.   Yahoo has a good slide show on the many ways eating more citrus is good for your health. What are citrus foods?  Although most people can rattle off a host of citrus foods, surprisingly many people I talk to are unsure of what foods are in the citrus family. Oranges, grapefruit, tangerines, limes, lemons,   mandarin oranges, clementines are all citrus fruits. ( Top 10 Citrus Fruits ) What are the health benefits of eating citrus fruits? Vitamin C – a water soluble vitamin that you should be part of your diet every day.   Vitamin C is known for building our immune system and fighting off infections.   Eat just one orange and you get all the vitamin C you need for the day . Fiber – An orange can add 2.3 grams of fiber to your day.   A tangerine about 1.6 grams of fiber.   The soluble fiber in citrus fruits can help lower your cholesterol. Flavonoids – never heard flavonoids?   Well,...

Are you making some nutrition mistakes?   Even those who are health conscious and pride themselves on eating well can make some of the mistakes noted below.   Or, you may be interested in eating healthier and want to avoid some nutrition mistakes.    An interesting article in the Washington Post, 10 Nutrition Mistakes Even Really Healthy People Make covered a number of “mistakes” you may not be aware of.   What are some of these nutrition mistakes?          1.       Flax seeds – Flax seeds are the latest trend and healthy so you add some whole flax seeds to your cereal, your smoothie.   Flax seeds are super healthy, loaded with heart healthy omega-3 fats plus fiber and some antioxidants.   But to get the benefit of flax seeds, don’t eat them whole as they may go through you pretty much undigested.   Instead, buy ground flax seeds and sprinkle some on your morning oatmeal, add to your smooth...